Process for producing olefin oxide

ABSTRACT

A process for producing an olefin oxide which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application has priority from U.S. provisional application No. 61/284,324 filed Dec. 17, 2009, disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for producing an olefin oxide.

BACKGROUND ART

Olefin oxides, as for example propylene oxide, are amongst the most important chemicals widely used for the preparation of various textiles and plastics. Several studies have intensively attempted to search for a process to obtain an olefin oxide with a high production rate hoping for an economically feasible plant design.

Recently, copper-modified catalysts have become attractive for propylene epoxidation [J. Catal. 236 (2005) 401]. A study of a single crystal of metallic copper showed that Cu⁰ was intrinsically a much more selective epoxidation catalyst for alkenes containing allylic hydrogen than Ag⁰ [J. Mol . Catal. A 228 (2005) 27]. It has been found that Cu⁻ supported on a silica (SiO₂) catalyst was also efficient for the epoxidation under oxygen-rich conditions [J. Phys. Chem. C 112 (2008) 7731].

Furthermore, a few lead single-metal modified catalysts have been examined for the direct gas phase epoxidation of propylene such as molybdenum on SiO₂ [Appl. Catal. A 316 (2007) 142.; Catal. Lett. 121 (2008) 33] and iron on Mobil Composition of Matter (MCM)-41 [J. Catal. 239 (2006) 105; JJ. Phys. Chem. B 109 (2005) 23500].

Supported multimetallic catalysts for propylene epoxidation have attracted great interest since they often present excellent catalytic properties in comparison to individual metal components [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 42 (2003) 1571].

There are some proposed catalysts such as sodium chloride-modified VCe_(x)Cu_(1-x) mixed oxide [J. Catal. 211 (2002) 552], silver-based catalysts containing nickel metal [Appl. Catal. A 294 (2005) 34], gold on titanium-SBA-15 [J. Catal. 248 (2007) 235], and gold on MCM-41 [Appl. Catal. A 240 (2003) 243].

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides:

[1] A process for producing an olefin oxide which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.

[2] The process according to [1], wherein the porous support comprises Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ or ZrO₂.

[3] The process according to [1], wherein the porous support comprises SiO₂.

[4] The process according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the total amount of the copper oxide and the ruthenium oxide in the catalyst is 0.01 to 80% by weight of the amount of the catalyst.

[5] The process according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the copper/ruthenium metal weight ratio in the catalyst is 1/99 99/1.

[6] The process according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the copper oxide is CuO.

[7] The process according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the ruthenium oxide is RuO₂.

[8] The process according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the olefin is propylene and the olefin oxide is propylene oxide.

[9] The process according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the catalyst is obtained by impregnating a porous support with a solution containing copper and ruthenium ions to prepare a composition, followed by calcining the composition.

[10] The process according to any one of [1] to [9], which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen at a temperature of 100 co 350° C.

[11] A catalyst for producing an olefin oxide which comprises a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.

[12] The catalyst according to [11] which is obtained by impregnating a porous support with a solution containing copper and ruthenium ions to prepare a composition, followed by calcining the composition.

[13] The catalyst according to [11] or [12], wherein the porous support comprises Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ or ZrO₂.

[14] The catalyst according to [11] or [12], wherein the porous support comprises SiO₂.

[15] The catalyst according to any one of [11] to [14], wherein the olefin oxide is propylene oxide.

[16] Use of a catalyst for producing an olefin oxide, said catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.

[17] The use of a catalyst according to [16], wherein the olefin oxide is propylene oxide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the result of Example 2, analysis (1).

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the result of Example 2, analysis (2).

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the result of Example 3, analysis (1).

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the result of Example 3, analysis (2).

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the result of Example 4, analysis (1).

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the result of Example 4, analysis (2).

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the powder X-ray diffraction patterns of Example 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The process of the present invention comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide.

In the catalyst, the copper oxide and the ruthenium oxide are supported on a porous support. This catalyst is valuable for producing an olefin oxide, which is one aspect of the present invention.

The porous support has pores capable of supporting the copper oxide and the ruthenium oxide. The porous support comprises preferably Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ or ZrO₂, more preferably TiO₂ or SiO₂, still more preferably SiO₂. Examples of the porous support comprising SiO₂ include mesoporous silica. Such a porous support may also comprise zeolites.

If the catalyst comprises SiO₂ as a support, olefin oxides can be prepared with good yield and good selectivity.

The catalyst may comprise one or more kinds of the copper oxide.

The copper oxide is usually composed of copper and oxygen. Examples of the copper oxide include Cu₂O and CuO. The copper oxide is preferably CuO.

The catalyst may comprise one or more kinds of the ruthenium oxide. The ruthenium oxide is usually composed of ruthenium and oxygen.

Examples of the ruthenium oxide include RuO₄, and RuO₂. The ruthenium oxide is preferably RuO₂. The catalyst preferably comprises CuO and RuO₂, because such metal oxides can contribute to improved olefin oxide selectivity. In the catalyst, the total content of the copper oxide and the ruthenium oxide is preferably 0.01 to 80% by weight of the amount of the catalyst. When the total content falls within such range, the olefin oxide yield and selectivity can be further improved. The lower limit of the total content is more preferably 0.05% by weight, still more preferably 0.1% by weight of the amount of the catalyst. The upper limit of the total content is more preferably 50% by weight, and still more preferably 30% by weight of the amount of the catalyst.

The copper/ruthenium metal weight ratio in the catalyst is 1/99 to 99/1. When the metal weight ratio falls within such a range, the olefin oxide selectivity can be further improved.

The lower limit of the metal weight ratio is more preferably 2/98, still more preferably 3/97. The upper limit of the metal weight ratio is more preferably 98/2, still more preferably 97/3.

Production of the catalyst is not restricted to a specific process.

For example, the catalyst is obtained by impregnating a porous support with a solution containing copper and ruthenium ions to prepare a composition, followed by calcining the composition. The support can be in form of powder, or shaped to a desired structure as necessary.

The solution containing copper and ruthenium ions can be prepared by dissolving a copper metal salt and a ruthenium metal salt in a solvent. Examples of the copper metal salt include copper acetate, copper ammonium chloride, copper bromide, copper carbonate, copper ethoxide, copper hydroxide, copper iodide, copper isobutyrate, copper isopropoxide, copper oxalate, copper oxychroride, copper nitrates, and copper chlorides. Examples of the ruthenium metal salt include, for example, a halide such as ruthenium bromide, ruthenium chloride, ruthenium iodide, an oxyhalide such as Ru₂OCl₄, Ru₂OCl₅ and Ru₂OCl₆, a halogeno complex such as [RuCl₂(H₂O)₄]Cl, an ammine complex such as [Ru(NH₃)₅H₂O]Cl₂, [Ru(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂, [Ru(NH₃)₆] Cl₂ and [Ru(NH₃)₆]Cl₃, a carbonyl complex such as Ru(CO)₅ and Ru₃ (CO)₁₂, a carboxylate complex such as [Ru₃O(OCOCH₃)₆(H2O)₃] ruthenium nitrosylchloride and [Ru₂(OCOR)₄]Cl (R=alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms), a nitrosyl complex such as [Ru(NH₃)₅(NO)]Cl₃, [Ru(OH) (NH₃)₄ (NO)] (NO₃) ₂ and [Ru (NO) ] (NO₃)₃, an amine complex, an acetyl acetonate complex, and ammonium salt such as (NH₄)₂[RuCl₆]. If any of copper metal salts and ruthenium metal salts contains a halogen ion, the halogen ion may be presented in the obtained catalyst. Such halogen ion presented in the catalyst may form salts or compounds with copper or ruthenium.

The solution may contain acidic or basic compounds in order to control its pH.

Examples of the solvent for the solution include water, alcohols such as methanol or ethanol, and ethers.

The total amount of the porous support is not limited to a specific range, preferably 20 to 99.99% by weight, more preferably 50 to 99.95% by weight, and more preferably 70 to 99.9% by weight of the amount of the catalyst.

The composition as prepared is preferably dried at a temperature of approximately 40 to approximately 200° C. before calcining it. Drying may be performed under an atmosphere of air or also under an inert gas atmosphere (for example Ar, N₂, He) at standard pressure or reduced pressure. The drying time is preferably in the range from 0.5 to 24 hours. After drying, the composition can be shaped to a desired structure as necessary.

Calcining the composition is not limited, but it is preferably performed under a gas atmosphere containing oxygen. Examples of such a gas include air and oxygen. The gas may be used after being mixed at an appropriate ratio with a diluting gas such as nitrogen, helium, argon, and water vapor. An optimal temperature for calcination varies depending on the gas, the composition or the like, however, a too high temperature may cause agglomeration of the ruthenium oxide and the copper oxide.

Accordingly, the calcination temperature is typically 200 to 800° C., preferably 400 to 600° C.

The catalyst can be used as powder, but it is usual to shape desired structures such as spheres, pellets, cylinders, rings or hollow cylinders, stars. The catalyst can be shaped by a known procedure such as extrusion, ram extrusion, tableting. The calcination is normally performed after shaping desired structures, but it can also be performed before shaping them.

Next, the following explains the reaction of an olefin with oxygen in the presence of the catalyst as described above.

In the present invention, olefins may have a linear or branched structure and contain usually 2 to 10, preferably 2 to 8 carbon atoms. Examples of olefins include preferably ethylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene and octene, more preferably ethylene, propylene and butene, and still more preferably propylene.

The reaction is generally performed in the gas phase. In the reaction, an olefin and oxygen may be fed respectively in the form of a gas. An olefin and oxygen may also be fed in the form of their mixed gas. Olefin and oxygen gases may be fed with diluent gases. Examples of the diluent gases include nitrogen or rare gases, such as argon and helium.

As oxygen source, pure oxygen may be used, or a mixed gas containing a gas inactive to the reaction, such as air, may be used. The amount of oxygen used varies depending on the reaction type, the catalyst, the reaction temperature or the like. The amount of oxygen is typically 0.01 to 100 mol, and preferably 0.03 to 30 mol, and more preferably 0.25 to 10 mol, with respect to 1 mol of an olefin.

The reaction is performed at a temperature generally of 100 to 350° C, preferably of 120 to 330° C., more preferably of 170 to 310° C.

The present reaction is carried out under reduced pressure to increased pressure. By carrying out the reaction under such a pressure, the productivity and selectivity of olefin oxide can be improved. Reduced pressure means a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure. Increased pressure means a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Under reduced pressure to increased pressure, the pressure is typically in the range of 0.01 to 3 MPa, and preferably in the range of 0.02 to 2 MPa, in the absolute pressure.

The reaction may be carried out as a batch reaction or a continuous reaction, preferably as a continuous reaction for industrial application. The reaction of the present invention may be carried out by mixing an olefin and oxygen and then contacting the mixture with the catalyst under reduced pressure to the increased pressure.

The reactor type is not limited. Examples of reactor types are fluid bed reactor, fixed bed reactor, moving bed reactor, and the like, preferably fixed bed reactor. In the case of using fixed bed reactor, single tube reactor or multi tube reactor can be employed. More than one reactor can be used. If the number of reactors is large, small reactors as for example microreactors, can be used, which can have multiple channels. Adiabatic type or heat exchange type may also be used

In the present invention, the olefin oxide may have a linear or branched structure and contains usually 2 to 10, preferably 2 to 8 carbon atoms. Examples of the olefin oxide include preferably ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butene oxide, pentene oxide, hexene oxide, heptene oxide and octene oxide, more preferably ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butene oxide, and still more preferably propylene oxide.

The olefin oxide as obtained can be collected by a method known in the art such as separation by distillation.

EXAMPLES

In Examples, each measurement was performed according to the following method.

1. Data analysis was conducted by an on-line Micro-Gas Chromatograph (Varian, CP-4900) equipped with a thermal conductivity detector (TCD), PoraPLOT U (10M) and Molecular sieve 13X (10M).

2. The detected products wore propylene oxide (PO), acetone (AT), acetaldehyde (AD), CO_(x) (CO₂ and CO), and propanal+acrolein (PaL+AC).

Note: PaL+AC are reported together since the two compounds appear at the same retention time, although the PaL is typically only found in trace amounts.

The products were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). GC calibrations for propylene, oxygen, and CO₂ were performed using mass flow controllers (MKS) and He as a carrier gas.

Calibrations for PO, AC, AT and AD were performed by vaporizing known quantities of a liquid in a heated, evacuated 2250 cm³ stainless steel tank and using He as a carrier gas. All calibrations yielded linear 5-point curves with R² of at least 0.995, using the peak area as the basis for GC calculations. Contents of each product were determined based on two different calibrations prepared by the method as mentioned above. Hereinafter, the analysis based on one of the calibrations is referred as to “analysis (1)”, and the analysis based on the other calibration is referred as to “analysis (2)”.

3. The propylene conversion, product selectivity, and yield (calculated as selectivity of product×propylene conversion) of the products were calculated based on the carbon balance. Propylene conversions (X_(PR)) were calculated according to the following expression:

X_(PR)={[PO+AC+AT+2AD/3+CO₂/3]_(out)/[C₃H₆]_(in)}×100%;

and PO selectivities (S_(PO)) were then calculated using the following expression:

S_(PO)={[PO]/[PO+AC+AT+2AD/3+CO₂/3]}×100%

Example 1

Aqueous solutions of Ru [(NH₄)₂RuCl₆, Aldrich] and Cu [Cu(NO₃)₂, Alfa Aesar, ACS, 98.0%-102.0%] were mixed at a metal weight ratio of 1:1, to prepare a metal salt solution. The metal salt solution was introduced into a SiO₂ support powder (surface area 325 m²/g) and left to penetrate the support for 24 hours in the air. The resulting material was collected from the solution, dried at 120° C. for 8 hours and calcined at 500° C. for 6 hours in the air to give a catalyst with a Cu/Ru metal weight ratio of 1/1 at the total metal loading of 5 wt %.

The catalyst (5.0 mg) was placed in a well of a reactor as mentioned in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 38 (1999) 2794, equipped with array microreactors, wells along each reactor channel and a passivated 200 micron ID capillary sampling probe within the reactor channel. The mixture gas consisting of 14 vol % propylene (C₃H₆), 26 vol % O₂, and 60 vol % He was fed to the well at a gas hourly space velocity (GSHV) of 20,000 h⁻¹ with a mass flow controller (MKS, Andover, Mass.), at a reactor temperature of 250° C. Gas sampling was accomplished by withdrawing reactor exit gases using the passivated 200 micron ID capillary sampling probe.

The result of the production was determined based on each caribration as mentioned above, which is shown as follow. Propylene oxide selectivity: 14.8%, propylene oxide yield: 0.16%, and propylene conversion: 1.1 (analysis (1)) Propylene oxide selectivity: 10.5%, propylene oxide yield: 0.16%, and propylene conversion: 1.5% (analysis (2))

Example 2

Fifteen (15) catalysts were prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except that the metal contents were X wt % Cu, (5-X) wt % Ru, where 0≦X≦5. Production of propylene oxide was carried out in the same mariner as described in Example 1.

The result based on the analysis (1) is shown in FIG. 1. The result based on the analysis (2) is shown in FIG. 2.

Example 3

Five (5) catalysts were prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except that the total metal amount in each catalyst was 1.25, 2.5, 7.5, 10 or 15 wt % with the metal weight ratio of Ru/Cu=3.6/1.4.

Production of propylene oxide was carried out in the same manner as Example 1, except that each of the catalysts as obtained was used.

The results based on the analysis (1) are shown in FIG. 3. The results based on the analysis (2) are shown in FIG. 4.

Example 4

A catalyst was prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except. that the metal weight ratio was Ru/Cu=3.6/1.4. Production of propylene oxide was carried out in the same manner as Example 1, except that the catalyst of the present example was used. The mixture gas consisted of 2.5 vol. % propylene (C₃H₆), 15 vol % O₂, and 82.5 vol % He and the reaction temperature was 170, 190, 210, 230, 250, 270, 290 or 310° C.

The results based on the analysis (1) are shown in FIG. 5. The results based on the analysis (2) are shown in FIG. 6.

Example 5

A powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the catalyst obtained in Example 1 was determined with PANalytical X'Pert PRO fitted with a Ni filter and a Seller slit collimator. The Cu—K_(α) radiation at 45 kV and 40 mA was used to identify the active catalyst phases.

The following metal compounds as supported on SiO₂ were prepared and examined in the same manner as above: CuO (Cu content, 3.6 wt % of the total of CuO and SiO₂) supported on SiO₂ which was prepared from Cu(NO₃)₂; and RuO₂ (Ru content, 7.2 wt % of the total of RuO₂ and SiO₂) supported on SiO₂ which was prepared from (NH₄)₂RuCl₆.

The XRD patterns are shown in FIG. 7. The XRD pattern of the catalyst shows that it comprises CuO and RuO₂ without forming any crystalline mixed metal oxides or alloys.

Example 6

A catalyst is prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except that TiO₂ is used instead of SiO₂. Production of propylene oxide is carried out in the same manner as Example 1 except that the catalyst is used. 

1. A process for producing an olefin oxide which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.
 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the porous support comprises Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ or ZrO₂.
 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the porous support comprises SiO₂.
 4. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total amount of the copper oxide and the ruthenium oxide in the catalyst is 0.01 to 80% by weight of the amount of the catalyst.
 5. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the copper/ruthenium metal weight ratio in the catalyst is 1/99 to 99/1.
 6. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the copper oxide is CuO.
 7. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ruthenium oxide is RuO₂.
 8. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the olefin is propylene and the olefin oxide is propylene oxide.
 9. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the catalyst is obtained by impregnating a porous support with a solution containing copper and ruthenium ions to prepare a composition, followed by calcining the composition.
 10. The process according to claim 1 or 2, which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen at a temperature of 100 to 350° C.
 11. A catalyst for producing an olefin oxide which comprises a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.
 12. The catalyst according to claim 11 which is obtained by impregnating a porous support with a solution containing copper and ruthenium ions to prepare a composition, followed by calcining the composition.
 13. The catalyst according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the porous support comprises Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ or ZrO₂.
 14. The catalyst according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the porous support comprises SiO₂.
 15. The catalyst according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the olefin oxide is propylene oxide.
 16. Use of a catalyst for producing an olefin oxide, said catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.
 17. The use of a catalyst according to claim 16, wherein the olefin oxide is propylene oxide. 